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Transport Minister Simon Bridges has announced an $18.5 million package of transport projects for the West Coast to help improve the region’s transport network.

The Government launched today the Tai Poutini West Coast Economic Development Action Plan.

“The West Coast’s distance from the main employment and business centres in the South Island and wider New Zealand means it is very dependent on safe and reliable transport links,” Mr Bridges says.

The final piece of Christchurch’s architecturally designed ‘gateway arches’ is in place, signalling how close another of the city’s multi-million dollar roading projects is to completion, Transport Minister Simon Bridges says.

The arches and a major interchange are being constructed at the intersection of Russley Road and Memorial Avenue, near Christchurch Airport, as part of the $112 million State Highway 1 Russley Road Upgrade.

Mr Bridges says the top piece of the arches was put in place this morning with the help of a 180 tonne crane.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has officially opened a new section of the Omokoroa to Tauranga City cycleway that will link this growing area.

Mr Bridges today opened the 1.1 kilometre section which will connect Tinopai Reserve to Lynley Park.

“This section of the Omokoroa to Tauranga cycleway runs alongside the harbour providing great views and opportunities to see local birdlife,” Mr Bridges says.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has today turned the first sod for the $330 million Peka Peka to Ōtaki Expressway project, one of the Government’s Roads of National Significance.

The Expressway is part of the Wellington Northern Corridor and connects to the Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway, which Mr Bridges officially opened in February this year.

“This is an important project for the Kāpiti community and the wider Wellington Region, and will build on the benefits that the Mackays to Peka Peka Expressway is delivering,” Mr Bridges says.

Associate Transport Minister Tim Macindoe today joined the Mayor of Auckland, Phil Goff, and Māngere-Otahuhu Local Board Chair, Lemauga Lydia Sosene, in cutting the ribbon to mark the completion of the Te Ara Mua – Future Streets project in Māngere, Auckland.

Finance Minister Steven Joyce and Transport Minister Simon Bridges, in conjunction with Auckland Council, today announced appointments to the Board of City Rail Link Limited, the new company jointly owned by the Crown and Auckland Council with responsibility for delivering Auckland’s City Rail Link project.

Sir Brian Roche was appointed as Chair at the establishment of the company. The Board members are Russell Black, Brian Harrison, Karen Jordan and Anne Urlwin.

The Ministry of Transport and BusinessNZ are partnering to commission a study into how New Zealand’s economy can benefit from transport innovation, Transport Minister Simon Bridges says.

“The potential of self-driving cars and their associated economic opportunities are often the focus of research and investment, but there are many other aspects of the transport system which present economic opportunities,” Mr Bridges says.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges says the opening of Auckland’s Waterview Tunnel to traffic is the most significant change in Auckland’s transport system since the opening of the Auckland Harbour Bridge in 1959. 

The first vehicles travelled through the Waterview Tunnel early this morning.

“The Waterview Tunnel will transform the way people and freight move around the city, providing more options and a more efficient, resilient and reliable transport system,” Mr Bridges says.

Finance Minister Steven Joyce and Transport Minister Simon Bridges have today signed the agreements with Auckland Mayor Phil Goff that establish City Rail Link Limited to assume responsibility from tomorrow for delivering Auckland’s City Rail Link, marking the next step in transforming Auckland’s public transport.

“City Rail Link Limited (CRLL) is a new company owned jointly by central and local Government, with the sole and express responsibility of successfully delivering the game-changing City Rail Link (CRL) project,” Mr Joyce says.

The completion of construction for the Stronger Christchurch Infrastructure Rebuild Team (SCIRT) programme is a major rebuild milestone, the Government and Christchurch City Council say.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges says the five-and-a-half-year project to repair Christchurch’s earthquake-damaged horizontal infrastructure was of one of the largest and most complex engineering programmes ever carried out in New Zealand.

Associate Transport Minister Tim Macindoe has launched the first product of the Transport Outlook project, the Transport Outlook: Current State report. The Transport Outlook project aims to provide information, data, and analysis on New Zealand’s current and future transport system.

“Understanding transport demand and emerging trends in our transport system is crucial to ensure that we can provide the right information for the general public and transport planners, investors, and policy-makers,” Mr Macindoe says.

Associate Minister of Transport Tim Macindoe has seen first-hand today how innovative weather technology is being used to help keep our roads safe.

“New Zealand’s mountainous terrain means roads serving many towns and tourist destinations have the potential to be seriously impacted every winter by the effects of snow, ice and heavy rain,” says Mr Macindoe.

Airways New Zealand will continue to deliver air traffic control services to Niue, Samoa, the Cook Islands, and the Kingdom of Tonga after the contract was re-signed in Christchurch today, Transport Minister Simon Bridges says.

“The Pacific Upper Airspace agreement we have with these four countries is a significant part of Airways New Zealand's involvement with the Pacific region, Airways also provides all New Zealand’s air navigation services,” Mr Bridges says.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges and Energy and Resources Minister Judith Collins have announced new measures to support the uptake of electric vehicles and improve energy efficiency in New Zealand.

The Energy Innovation (Electric Vehicles and Other Matters) Amendment Bill, which passed its third reading today, implements parts of the Government’s Electric Vehicles Programme, makes changes to the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority’s (EECA) levy funding, and clarifies how electricity industry legislation applies to secondary networks.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has welcomed the start of work on two sections of the Hastings iWay, part of the Government’s $333 million Urban Cycleways Programme (UCP).

“The UCP is making a real difference to cycling in the regions all around New Zealand,” Mr Bridges says.

Associate Minister of Transport Tim Macindoe welcomes a new high tech warning system, which will help to improve road safety, has been installed on State Highway 1 in the Waitaki District.

The new Rural Intersection Active Warning System at the turnoff to Moeraki Boulders, off State Highway 1, is now operational and the variable speed limit is now legally enforceable.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges today announced Christchurch’s $112 million Russley Road upgrade is on track to open early next year, several months ahead of schedule.

Visiting the site, at the intersection of Memorial Avenue and Russley Road to check on progress, Mr Bridges says it is great news for everyone.

“The early completion of the project would help relieve congestion and support economic growth in the Canterbury region,” Mr Bridges says.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges opened the Puari ki Papanui/Papanui Parallel cycleway in Christchurch today, marking the second cycleway in the city to be completed through the Government’s Urban Cycleways Programme.

The Papanui Parallel provides a 4.9km safer route for people on bikes travelling into the city centre from Papanui and the northern suburbs.

“Through the Urban Cycleways Programme our goal is to encourage more people to cycle for every day trips,” Mr Bridges says.

Economic Development and Transport Minister Simon Bridges has announced an integrated approach to transport planning and infrastructure investment in Canterbury which will see central and local government working closely together. 

Mr Bridges is in Christchurch with other Government Ministers today to co-launch the refreshed Canterbury Regional Economic Development Strategy.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges says a major milestone has been reached this week in the Government’s effort to restore road and rail links to Kaikoura, with work crews estimating that the half-way point has been reached in the massive job of clearing the slips from the transport corridor north of Kaikoura.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges is welcoming the approval of $46.4 million in advanced funding by the NZ Transport Agency to Auckland Transport for the construction of the Lincoln Road Corridor Improvements Project.

“This is great news for Aucklanders. This project will help to create a much better transport system for this rapidly growing part of the city,” Mr Bridges says.

The project will include new bus lanes, improved cycling facilities and road safety improvements.

Transport Minister Simon Bridges has congratulated the Port of Tauranga today, as the one millionth container this year passes through its terminal.

“The Port of Tauranga is a leading New Zealand port for container throughput and the largest port in terms of volume in New Zealand. It’s great to be able to mark this milestone and acknowledge the economic benefits the Port brings to the wider Bay of Plenty economy,” Mr Bridges says.

Prime Minister Bill English and Transport Minister Simon Bridges have cut the ribbon to mark the completion of the $1.4 billion Waterview Tunnel.

Mr Bridges says the Waterview Tunnel completion celebration today marks the biggest change in Auckland’s transport system since the opening of the Auckland Harbour Bridge in 1959.

Work is now underway on dozens of individual road safety projects that aim to make busy South Island tourist routes safer for visiting drivers, Associate Transport Minister Tim Macindoe says.

The improvements are part of the Visiting Drivers Project’s $15 million road safety engineering programme announced in October 2016. A further $10 million has been budgeted through the project for co-investment with local government to support regional works and a visiting drivers education campaign.